


Christmas Kisses

by Lasoona



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Byleth is an adorable dumbass, F/F, Mercedes has the least screentime out of everyone but she's still there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21961738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lasoona/pseuds/Lasoona
Summary: Byleth misunderstands the Seirosmas tradition of kissing under a mistletoe, instead of believing it to be between lovers, she spends her day running through Garreg Mach gifting all her friends a kiss.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 17
Kudos: 254





	Christmas Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Based on big brain Ideas me and my friends had in our FE discord ahgdjaslghdslk. Idek what part of the timeline this is set at. Lets say after the Battle of Eagle and Lion but before Jeralt's death ahgjlksdhg Merry christmas to all y'all who celebrate it, and If u don't, I hope u still have a wonderful day.

The day had started like any other day, with the exception that she didn’t have a lecture to teach today. Byleth had heard of the holiday today, some Church of Seiros celebration where family and friends got together and gave each other gifts and such. Her father didn’t bother explaining much, as was usual when the church was involved. And so as she had gotten into a habit of doing when her father didn’t explain, she found herself in the library pouring over books, researching the strange holiday. The students she’d seen on her way had been decorated with green and red, laughing around the decorated pine trees set up in the main halls and the dining room. The one thing that had caught her eye was a plant hung over multiple doorways throughout the monastery, most notably Dorothea and Sylvain’s doors. With that, she had found her focus, skimming through textbooks on Fodlan’s holidays until she located a passage on the plant, under the holiday titled “Seirosmas”.

“ _ Mistletoe is a parasitic plant associated with love and friendship, it has become tradition to kiss beneath a branch.” _

Byleth blinked. Kiss? She’d heard of that before, though she’d never actually done it. It seemed fun, and this holiday was supposed to be about joy, kissing was said to bring joy! Byleth slammed the book closed, an idea forming in her mind. She knew just what to do to make sure her friends were happy today.

* * *

Byleth let out a huff, all the merchants in Garreg Mach were out of the mistletoe fixtures. She was on her way back to the dorms when a splotch of green and red on the brown wood caught her eye. That’s right! Dorothea had some attached to her door frame! Byleth quickly jogged over to the door. She could reach it if she stood a bit more on her toes, but the knot was tricky. Leaning one hand against the door to balance herself, she slowly but surely worked the knot free.

Suddenly her hand was braced against nothing but air, Byleth’s hand tightening around the now freed mistletoe as she careened forward into the opened doorway.

“Professor?!”

Byleth felt the air leave her as she crashed onto the ground. Though the ground felt a lot softer than usual... Pushing herself up onto one hand and knees, she found herself gazing into familiar emerald eyes, “Oh, hello Dorothea.”

The songstress quirked a brow at the woman, smirking slightly, “What were you doing, Professor?”

Byleth lifted her other hand, still gripping the mistletoe between her fingers, “Needed some mistletoe. The merchants were sold out,” Her gaze dropped as she averted her eyes, “I was going to uh, borrow yours.”

Dorothea’s smirk only grew wider, “And just why did you need to get your hands on some mistletoe so badly, may I ask?”

Byleth perked up as she remembered her idea, “Oh, for this!” Leaning down, she pressed her lips to Dorothea’s cheek, ending the kiss with a small wet smack. She pushed herself back up, her lips turned up into the small smile everyone was coming to love from the professor, joy dancing in her eyes.

Dorothea’s eyes widened for a split second before her expression broke into a fond grin, “Professor you are absolutely adorable,” Dorothea winced slightly as Byleth shifted, “But if you would be so kind as to get up? You’re crushing my chest.”

Byleth’s eyes widened at the realization, the professor scrambling to her feet before offering a hand to her friend, “I’m sorry.”

Dorothea chuckled as she brushed herself off, “It’s alright, professor,” Byleth nodded in acceptance before turning to run off. Dorothea lunged for the woman’s sleeve, “Byleth wait!”

Byleth let herself be pulled back, Dorothea resting a hand on her shoulder and holding the arm grasping the mistletoe over the pair, “The tradition is incomplete until I kiss you back,” she grinned before reciprocating Byleth’s kiss on the cheek, leaving a mark of red lips on the professor’s skin. Dorothea looked on in some amusement as Byleth’s eyes widened a fraction at the contact, her fingers moving up to her cheek at the strange sensation, it was like she could still feel the songstress’s lips against her cheek even though she knew they weren’t. It was… nice. Her movement in the mirror Dorothea had set up in her room caught her eye, the new red curves on her skin attracting her gaze.

“That looks nice,” Byleth commented, “How do you do that?”

Dorothea laughed, “Lipstick?” She pulled out the tube, uncapping it and gliding it across her lips, “It’s part of my makeup, do you like it?”

Byleth nodded vigorously, “Can I borrow some?”

Dorothea’s smile softened, “Of course professor, here,” Dorothea made her way to her dresser, pulling another tube out of a small chest and handing it to the woman, “Come over here and use the mirror to put it on.”

Byleth did just that, taking a second to turn her head back and forth, marvelling at the way the light was shining off her lips. Now she’d be able to leave the pretty lip marks on everyone else, too! Byleth nodded in satisfaction, pocketing the lipstick, “Thank you, Dorothea.”

“Of course, professor,” Dorothea’s lips pulled back in a sly smile, “Now, it won’t be fair if everyone else gets a lip mark and I don’t, so I do believe I’m going to need another kiss.”

* * *

Byleth had barely gone a few feet before she ran into Mercedes.

“Oh, hello, Professor! Have you seen Ingrid around?” She held up a box in her hands, “She said she would let me do her makeup today, but I can’t find her anywhere!”

Byleth shook her head, “No,” She lifted the mistletoe over their heads as she’d felt Dorothea do, “I read about this and I wanted to try it. The book said it represents friendship to kiss under this.”

Mercedes giggled as Byleth turned her head to make sure she had the mistletoe positioned properly, flashing the lipstick left by Dorothea on her cheek, “Oh professor, it’s wonderful of you to care so much,” The mage leaned in, brushing teal bangs to the side as she pressed her lips to Byleth’s forehead, “Happy Seirosmas, Professor.”

Byleth’s eyes lit up once more as she returned the favor with a peck on the cheek, painting Mercedes’s pale skin red to her giggles. Byleth pulled back and inspected the older woman’s cheek for a moment before nodding. Her job was finished, off to the next friend.

* * *

Sylvain sauntered through the reception hall, aiming for a familiar blonde pegasus knight, sending her a jaunty wave, “Hey, Ingrid!

Ingrid rolled her eyes, “Hello, Sylvain, what lord’s daughter did you break up with this time? I’m not gonna have to duel anyone to save your head again, am I?”

“What? No! This is much more important!” Sylvain placed his hands behind his head in his usual relaxed manner, “Apparently the Professor is running around with a mistletoe giving our classmates all a nice smooch.”

Ingrid glared at the man, “Sylvain, I don’t have time for your weird little fantasies-” The knight broke off as an arm appeared above Sylvain’s head, dangling mistletoe between their fingers. Though judging by the armor on their forearm it was…

“Professor?”

Sylvain turned, a laugh bubbling from his lips as he was greeted with the wide eyes of the ex-mercenary, face covered with multiple brands of lipstick, the woman tilting her head questioningly. 

Sylvain patted his pockets, “I know I have one around here somewhere…. Aha!” He pulled a lipstick tube from his uniform pocket, applying it skillfully enough Byleth was sure he’d done it before, painting his lips a cool pink color, “There we go! Hit me, Professor.”

Byleth had done it so much today, she was getting quite used to leaning in and giving a quick smack on the cheek, once again leaving red print behind, the light of the Hall dancing in her eyes as Sylvain found a mostly empty spot on her cheekbone to plant his own pinkened lips, Byleth’s smile appearing once again. The professor practically skipped along as she zipped around Sylvain and stopped before Ingrid expectantly.

“I, uhh…” Ingrid blinked as Sylvain held another tube in front of her face.

“Come on Ingrid, don’t leave her waiting now, it’s a different color, you won’t have to use the same stick as me. Besides, I have plenty more where that came from,” Sylvain winked and shook his pocket, the clacking of more lipstick tubes reaching the women’s ears.   
  
“Why do you have…” Ingrid shook her head, “Nevermind, I don’t wanna know, just give it,” the knight snatched the lipstick from the red-head’s hands, glancing at the icy blue for a moment before applying it to her lips. A bit sloppier than Sylvain, though Byleth couldn’t exactly tell all that well, she was just waiting to kiss her friend. Ingrid handed the stick back to Sylvain, sighing at the expectant look in the eyes of the ex-mercenary.

“All right, Professor,” Ingrid gave the woman a small smile, “Cheek kisses, yes?”

Byleth nodded quickly, turning her cheek and leaning in. Her bright, close-lipped smile breaking out once again as she felt Ingrid’s lips against her cheek. Byleth quickly returned the favor, Looking between the two Kingdom nobles before nodding to herself and taking off once again.

Sylvain laughed, “Does that woman ever slow down?”

Ingrid shook her head, bemused, “I’ve asked myself the same thing many a time. I’ve never seen her look so excited before. It’s…”

“Cute?”

Ingrid sighed, “Yes, she’s rather... cute... today.”

* * *

  
  


“Hubert, where is the Professor?”

Edelgard glowered as the man bowed before replying, “I do not know her exact location at the moment. She has been running all over the monastery. Word has it, she-”

“I have heard the rumors, Hubert,” Edelgard cut him off. Perhaps a bit more sharply than necessary, “My apologies, Hubert. That was unnecessarily harsh of me.”

“Your apology is unnecessary, Lady Edelgard. I am aware you have an… attachment… to the Professor.”

Edelgard sighed, “I suppose I’ll have to find her myself,” she muttered.

The duo had just exited the training grounds when they were stopped by Dorothea, “Oh! Edie, Hubie, there you are! Sylvain and I have been looking for you!”

Edelgard quirked an eyebrow in interest, “You and  _ Sylvain _ ?”

Dorothea grinned, “Yeah! To give you some of this!” The songstress dug into her purse and pulled out a tube of… was that lipstick?

“Dorothea, you know I’m not a huge… makeup person.”

“Yeah, but,” She winked, “This is for the Professor,” Dorothea’s grin widened as she watched Edelgard’s hand twitch as she restrained it from reaching for the lipstick.

“What do you mean, Dorothea?”

Dorothea giggle, “Now that would be telling, wouldn’t it, Edie?” She handed a stick to Hubert, “Hubie, she’s inevitable going to come across you two, so loosen the stick up your ass for a moment and play along, pretty please?” She batted her eyelashes at the grumbling mage, who begrudgingly took the lipstick, “Unfortunately, I’m out of most my other colors at this point, so you’ll have to take this purple and match with Petra. For the most part at least, this one’s a bit darker. And for you, Edie,” The songstress dug around in the purse a bit more before dramatically revealing another stick, “This will suit you perfectly.”

Edelgard accepted the offered stick and uncapped it to find a deep black awaiting her, “I… suppose if it’s in the spirit of the holidays,” Edelgard mumbled before applying it.

Dorothea clapped in appreciation, “Oohh, I knew black would look good on you! And you actually look pretty good with a nice dark purple, Hubie. Now go find the professor! I’m pretty sure she’s found everyone else already.”

* * *

Byleth was nowhere to be found. Edelgard was starting to lose hope, making her way back across the dormitory grounds, when Byleth rounded the corner from the pond at full sprint, nearly barreling straight into the Adrestian duo. Instead she came to a stop faster than Edelgard thought was humanly possible, halting within arms reach of the princess.

“Oh, pardon me- Edelgard?” Byleth took a moment to recognize the girl she’d almost crashed into, but once she did, she perked up immediately, an energetic light dancing in her eyes.

Edelgard’s mouth fell agape at the sight of her professor. The woman’s face was absolutely  _ covered _ in all sorts of different colors of lipstick From her forehead to her cheeks, there was even a lip print across her nose. Some of it had smudged like it had been there a while.

“Professor… why are you covered in lipstick?”

Byleth smiled, “Because of the mistletoe,” She held up her arm, dangling the mistletoe above the trio, “I read that it represents friendship if you kiss underneath it, so I decided that today I’d kiss all my friends.”

Hubert leaned down to whisper in Edelgard’s ear, “I do believe Felix may have been right when he said the Professor is a dumbass anywhere but the battlefield.”

Edelgard glared at the mage, “Hubert, now is not the time,” The Adrestian Princess dearly hoped the blush was not too noticeable on her cheeks. She could certainly feel it well enough. The professor was certainly oblivious if she thought kisses were purely platonic, but her demeanor at the moment was… adorable, she had to admit. She’d never seen the ex-mercenary seem so excited about something before. It was quite a contrast with the deadly efficient warrior she’d seen so many times now on the battlefield.

“So, what you’re saying is…”

Byleth nodded, “I’m here to kiss you! And Hubert!”

Hubert sighed, “I suppose I shall just get this over with,” He quickly stepped up to Byleth, leaning down so she could plant her lips on his cheek. Edelgard had to bite back a giggle, Byleth looked like she was enjoying herself immensely. It was such a rare display of emotion, Edelgard hardly noticed as the woman insisted, and eventually convinced, Hubert to peck her back and came to a stop in front of her, staring expectantly, as she was so caught up in simply… enjoying the sight of the most expressive she’d ever seen the professor.

“Edelgard? Are you okay?”

Edelgard shook herself from her reverie, “Y-yes, I’m fine, Professor.”

Byleth tilted her head, “Can I kiss you now?”

Edelgard swore the sun must have gotten hotter recently, her face felt like it was burning as she attempted to stutter out a confirmation. She hid her face with a hand as she turned slightly away from the professor as the woman tilted her head to the other side and innocently asked, “Edelgard your whole face is bright red, are you alright?”

“I-i-I’m fine, professor. Yes, you may k-kiss me.”

Byleth’s eyes lit up once more as she leaned in and Edelgard could only hope she didn’t look too ridiculous blushing up a storm while the woman painted her cheek with that bright red lipstick she had. Since when had the professor had lipstick? Edelgard’s eyes widened, Oh no. Everyone was going to be able to see.

“Lady Edelgard, I believe it is safe to assume all our classmates also have such a stain, courtesy of the professor.”

Edelgard nodded, breathing deep in an attempt to calm herself when she noticed the professor was still staring at her.

“Edelgard you have to kiss me back to finish it.”

Oh, there went any calm she had obtained, her face was heating up again. Though everyone had kissed her right? That’s where all the lipstick prints came from. No big deal. So maybe…

In a rush of confidence, Edelgard straightened her posture. She was the future Emperor of Adrestia, she could handle this! What better way to express her feelings than with an opportunity provided by the woman herself? Bringing a hand up to the professor’s chin, her thumb ghosting over woman’s lips. Edelgard allowed herself a small smirk, “Looks like the others missed a spot.”

She quickly leaned in before her thoughts could catch up to her actions, her black lipstick smearing over Byleth’s lips as she attempted to get as full of a kiss as she could while also doing it as fast as possible. She released the woman’s chin, stepping backwards as her face began heating up once more as Byleth showed minimal reaction, “Well, t-that was…” Edelgard cleared her throat, attempting to keep her posture. She nodded once, “Did you need anything else, Professor?”

Byleth practically beamed, “Nope! Thank you,” and just as quickly as she had arrived, she spun and sprinted off, leaving a mortified Edelgard to mull over recent events.

“Hubert, did I really just do that?”

Hubert nodded gravely, “Unfortunately, you did, Lady Edelgard.”

Edelgard sighed in defeat, “She didn’t react at all.”

The duo spun as a light chuckle came from behind them, a familiar yellow clad archer sauntering towards them, “You know, Princess, I didn’t think you had the guts.”

Edelgard growled, eyes narrowing at the emerald green on his lips, “Claude, what do you want?”

Claude halted, raising his hands in surrender, “Hey, I’m not here to rile anyone up. But uh… you do realize the Prof doesn’t understand the full connotations associated with kissing, right?”

“Oh my goodness…” Edelgard buried her face in her hands as the realization hit her, “What have I done?”

Claude grinned, “No problem, we’ll just go explain it to her and all will be well!” Claude snatched one of the princess’s wrists, before breaking into a run, dragging the poor girl along towards where Byleth had ran not a minute before.

“What?! Wait, Claude, no we can’t do that!”

“Why not?” He called over his shoulder. Edelgard knew Hubert must not be far behind, but why wasn’t he stopping Claude? “We’re all tired of your pining, you and the professor constantly making goo goo eyes at each other across the room.”

“We do not make-” She struggled to safely make it up the stairs into the reception hall with Claude dragging her along, “We do not make ‘Goo goo eyes’!”

Claude shot a smirk at the princess, “Oh yeah? Then why hasn’t Hubert killed me yet?”

Edelgard’s gaze dropped as the words ran through her mind. That traitor. The princess yelped as Claude suddenly stopped as they approached the garden where the professor loved to have tea, using his momentum to swing Edelgard around him and forwards. Edelgard stumbled as she was thrown forwards, coming to a stop with her hands steadying herself on… Byleth. She snatched her hands back like the professor burned, red blooming across her cheeks Claude leaned an elbow on her shoulder and smirked at the Professor. The woman was, thankfully, alone.

“Oh, Hello again Edelgard, Claude. Did you need something? I was just on my way to say hi to my dad.”

Claude spared a glance to the mortified princess before focusing on the professor, “Hey, teach, so, you know how you keep saying that you read kissing represents friendship?”

She tilted her head questioningly.

“Well, there’s actually a deeper meaning going on there,” He waggled his finger at his lips, “As far as kisses here go, at least.”

“Where Edelgard kissed me?”

Claude’s smirk grew ever wider, “Yeah, exactly!” He gave the princess a small shove forward, “Tell ‘er, Princess!”

Edelgard froze, spine ramrod straight as her widened eyes met the professor’s, “Um, w-well…”

Byleth frowned, “Are you alright, Edelgard? It’s not like you to stutter.”

Edelgard winced, “Well you see… What Claude was talking about… Kisses on the lips are given to people you… like. Really like,” Edelgard forced her gaze to remain focused on Byleth, ignoring Claude in the corner of her eye raising an eyebrow as if to say “Really?”

Byleth smiled, “Oh! That makes sense!” Before either of them could react, Byleth leaned down and met Edelgard’s lips once more, Edelgard inhaling sharply at the slight wet sensation that was left on her lips, Byleth’s blackened even further by a new layer of Edelgard’s lipstick. She smiled at Edelgard, seemingly oblivious to the Princess’s shock, “Well, I’ll see you later, Edelgard!”

Claude laughed as the woman sped off, Edelgard’s head drooping, her fingers gently pressed to her lips, “She doesn’t slow down, does she?” His face fell into a worried frown as Edelgard’s head remained down, “Hey, princess, you alright?”

“Claude,” The man instinctively took a step back as Edelgard’s tone lowered, the hand at her side clenched into a fist, “You have three seconds to start running before I end you myself.”

Claude paled as Edelgard’s furious expression greeted his eyes, “H-hey now, lets not be hasty, today is supposed to be a day of joy, after all, I was just trying to hELP,” Claude’s words turned into a yelp as he turned tail and ran as Edelgard lunged at him.

“Claude get back here!”

“No can do, Princess! I like living!” Claude risked a laugh, “Happy Seirosmas, Princess!”

**Author's Note:**

> Is Seirosmas kinda dumb? Yeah, but it was better than avoiding a holiday name the entire fic AHGDSJKLHGSALKG


End file.
